How do you pronounce 狐假虎威?

狐假虎威 is pronounced as "hú jiǎ hǔ wēi" in Mandarin Chinese.

狐假虎威

Q: What does 狐假虎威 mean?

狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) literally means "Fox uses tiger's power" and metaphorically means "Borrow authority to intimidate". It belongs to the Relationships & Character category of Chinese idioms.

Q: When is 狐假虎威 used?

狐假虎威 is used when The junior manager kept dropping the CEO's name to get his way.

狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) literally means “fox uses tiger's power” and expresses “borrow authority to intimidate”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving relationships and character.

Also searched as: hu jia hu wei, hu jia hu wei,狐假虎威 meaning, 狐假虎威 in english

Borrow authority to intimidate

Pronunciation: hú jiǎ hǔ wēi Literal meaning: Fox uses tiger's power

Origin & Usage

This idiom emerged from a Warring States period fable where a fox (狐) borrowed (假) the authority (威) of a tiger (虎) to intimidate other animals. The story first appeared in the Zhan Guo Ce, using the clever fox and powerful tiger to criticize political parasites who derived their influence from powerful patrons. During the Ming Dynasty, it became a pointed critique of corrupt officials who abused borrowed authority. Contemporary usage describes anyone who intimidates others by flaunting connections to powerful figures.

Examples

English: "The junior manager kept dropping the CEO's name to get his way"

Chinese: 这个初级经理总是搬出CEO的名字来达到目的

Related Chinese Idioms

Similar idioms about relationships & character

Learn more →

一模一样

yī mú yī yàng

Exactly identical

Learn more →

以心换心

yǐ xīn huàn xīn

Treat others as yourself

Learn more →

海纳百川

hǎi nà bǎi chuān

Accept all with open mind

Learn more →

以和为贵

yǐ hé wéi guì

Value harmony above all

Learn more →

同舟共济

tóng zhōu gòng jì

Face challenges together

Learn more →

风雨同舟

fēng yǔ tóng zhōu

Share hardships together

Learn more →

春风化雨

chūn fēng huà yǔ

Gentle, nurturing influence

Learn more →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 狐假虎威 mean in English?

狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) literally translates to “Fox uses tiger's power” and is used to express “Borrow authority to intimidate”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Relationships & Character category.